Essay

Running Head: Developmental Centers for Foster Children 1

Developmental Centers for Foster Children

Valerie Navarro

CM220

Final Project

2

Every year thousands of children are placed in foster care, an estimated 650,000 to be exact. Sadly, of those thousands of children some may have a form of medical issue including developmental delays, and emotional as well as behavioral problems. There is an estimate that 60% of children that are fostered experience some sort of developmental delay including language delay, cognitive problems, grass motor difficulties, and growth problems. (Kennedy, C. Kools, C. 2003) Every child deserves to be in a happy home whether it may be with their parents or not. The children are our future, and now more than ever they need us. Foster children usually will need more support due to the lack of care they already have, if we can give them that support then perhaps we can shape our future for the better. An ideal start is to open a developmental center where they can feel at home, and receive the proper help they need.

Children that are placed in foster homes have typically had traumatic experiences. These experiences however cause more problems and self-issues to a child or adolescent. Developing trust and interpersonal relationships become difficult. At times as adults we have had some type of trust issue, romantic or platonic. Trust also takes time, and should never be rushed. As children or an adolescent in a foster home it makes it even tougher because there is still so much to learn, and that trust hasn’t been established with anyone. Traumatic experiences can end up as a bad memory, and bad memories tend to haunt us. Letting go of those painful memories are also tough because perhaps that’s all these kids have. Everything heals through time, but through that healing process we need guidance.

Due to the nature of the traumatic experiences that typically precede a child's...